Doctors in the former Nyanza Province have sounded a dire warning to both national and county governments, threatening to resume industrial action within 14 days if their demands remain unmet.
Speaking exclusively to The Kenyan Tabloid on Monday, November 18, 2024, at his Kisumu office, Dr. Onyango Ndong’a, chairman of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists, and Dentists Union (KMPDU) in Nyanza, accused the government of reneging on its commitments to healthcare workers.
“Out of benevolence and goodwill, we suspended our strike four months ago, believing our issues would be addressed. Instead, the agreements we signed have been left to gather dust on the very tables where we signed them,” said Dr. Ndong’a.
“The government has forced us to consider the only language it seems to understand—confrontation and withdrawal of labor.”
At the core of their demands is the full implementation of the 2017 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), which outlines better terms for county-employed doctors and interns. The union highlighted persistent issues, including delayed salaries, lack of insurance, and stalled promotions, particularly in Siaya and Migori counties.
“Our CBA 2017 captures everything—timely salaries, promotions, and insurance for county-employed doctors and interns. Yet, none of these have been implemented. If nothing happens within 14 days, we will begin our strike, and it will not stop until every demand is met,” Dr. Ndong’a declared.
He criticized the government for failing to align workforce expansion with improved remuneration, despite significant budgetary growth.
“In 2014, there were 3,000 doctors in public service; today, we have 4,000. The workforce has barely grown, payments remain stagnant, yet the national budget keeps increasing. Instead of serving its purpose, good money ends up in individual pockets,” he remarked.
The union expressed dismay at the lack of seriousness in addressing healthcare human resource issues, particularly at the county level.
“Doctors are paid three months late, lack insurance, and have not been promoted. This contemptuous handling of our members is unacceptable,” Dr. Ndong’a said.
He emphasized that the impending strike would continue until all demands—including timely salaries, insurance coverage, and promotions—are met.
“The clock is ticking,” he warned. “We will not allow the government to continue failing its healthcare workers and, by extension, the Kenyan people.”
If unresolved, the strike threatens to paralyze healthcare services across Kisumu, Migori, Siaya, Nyamira, Kisii, and Homa Bay counties, potentially leaving thousands without critical medical care.
